"We wish Neil all the best in his new role,” said AstraZeneca's head of global media relations Esra Erkal-Paler.

Erkal-Paler said she was not yet able to say how AstraZeneca would place McCrae, or whether his departure would have any impact on the role of interim executive vice-president of human resources and corporate affairs Caroline Hempstead.

McCrae's remit at the Royal Mail will include media relations, internal communications, public affairs, corporate responsibility and community investment.